


to build a home (with you)

by rakuenoasis



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, can be read as platonic or romantic, found home, mentions of parental neglect, potential spoilers for act 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rakuenoasis/pseuds/rakuenoasis
Summary: "Normally, you wouldn't end upthisfar from the dorms unless something's really bothering you.""...""...oi. Talk to me."
Relationships: Rurikawa Yuki/Sumeragi Tenma
Comments: 3
Kudos: 88





	to build a home (with you)

**Author's Note:**

> vent fic but for like. different reasons (#NoToABSCBNShutdown yo)
> 
> context as well in case you probably won't be able to get it: the cg with hiro and tenma shows that they're in a shooting place with suits. the best conclusion i can draw from this is that they're probably going to shoot a drama together. 
> 
> because this is only a POTENTIAL spoiler to what can happen in act 3, i've tried to keep the details on past events related to this as little as possible. what's sure, however, is the drama thing and the possibility of mankai falling

It isn't unusual for Yuki to actually find Tenma, in his usual ugly jean jacket get-up and all the snottiness he carries with his reputation of being a celebrity, around Veludo Way.

What is unusual, however, is finding Tenma in a place like _this_.

"So you spend time with these cats until someone comes to pick you up?"

He watches Tenma earnestly pick up a white cat gently, bringing it to his lap before stroking its ears. Although unsaid and rarely brought up, Tenma does have a thing for cats. He's good at it, even. Yuki can't even have a cat last a minute longer around him. They'd also scurry away, frightened by his very presence trying to get closer to them as childish as it sounds.

Yuki doesn't believe that Tenma is actually better at him in something that isn't acting. But it's not like Tenma has opened himself up enough for everyone to _really_ know him. Being his roommate for almost two years hasn't helped much as the celebrity is usually gone and about for shootings and acting offers left and right.

But then again, Yuki hasn't opened up much about himself to the others especially to him. So who is he to actually judge?

(Honestly, he doesn't know what to make of this situation either; he has Misumi's costume to fix and Taichi will most likely be waiting for them outside their room with his tail wagging even faster than ever. But the tiny voice says that he has to stay a bit or else he'll regret it for the rest of his life.

So he stays.)

"...how long have you been here?"

Tenma doesn't respond, violet eyes lost in the growing number of cats slowly approaching him.

Yuki sighs. Two years of being roommates with this hack and he doesn't even know _how_ to get him to talk. He can't bear the awkward silence. He hates it. He _fears_ it.

But it's not like he can do anything about it. He lets his left hand pull out a blade of grass, bringing it closer to the cream coloured cat resting on Tenma's side. He's seen this in shows before; they'd usually bring it up to the cat's nose and often, it'd give some sort of response. And that he does with the results being just as he had predicted in his head. What Yuki does not expect, however, is for the cat to actually jump onto his lap.

He hears the chuckle from Tenma. So he hasn't been muted at all, Yuki thinks.

"I think Ginger's taken a liking to you."

Yuki attempts to do the thing Tenma did with that white cat from a while ago. Ginger ends up snuggling into his chest, a feat that's only making his heart warm up even more. He doesn't know what this feeling is. But to have a cat actually come up to _him_ feels like an unmatched accomplishment Yuki will never be able to top with ever again.

"She's usually defensive when people start approaching her. It took me a while before she could come to me naturally."

It's Yuki's turn to be without words. He looks up at the scarlet sky. The sun has already been gone from his view, replaced with the oranges, pinks, and even blues meshed together into one beautiful heap of mess. He feels the cool summer winds of July brushing through his skin. He smells the summer breeze, the scent of the city river beside of them. It reminds him of summer camp, of the greens and waters that surrounded them for those three days.

Yuki hates to admit it, but he misses summer camp. And given a chance, he would definitely want to go back there with everyone in Summer Troupe again. But right now, Mankai is facing a dilemma, a demon more powerful than they've ever faced. Yuki may have been silent in those talks, pockets those insights deep into his sleeves. but he worries. Mankai is the only place he's found a home in away from the rest of society, away from the bare walls of his old home.

He can't lose Mankai. Not now. Not when he still wants to relish in its warmth a bit more.

He knows just how much Tenma worries, too. That night when Tenma strongly wanted to reject the acting offer is still fresh in his memory. Sometimes, it plays on loop even in his dreams. Yuki would normally scream, get him back into the reality that they can handle this because yes, _they can't rely on him forever_. But in the moment when Tenma's screams and cries tore the walls of the dorms and they were all forced to watch him break down in the living room, he comes to a bit of understanding on why he wanted to reject it so badly to begin with. But it's not enough. And that's what frustrates him; he can't get around to understand Tenma no matter how hard he tries to think about him.

He feels the silence in the atmosphere for a bit before Tenma's words bring Yuki back into where they are now: near the city river, sitting on a field of grass with cats around them and the summer sun setting ahead of them.

"Yuki?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't laugh at me for this question but,"

"..."

"..."

"...but?"

"What is it like with your father? I mean, how are you guys doing?"

This question actually surprises Yuki, even moreso because he knows that Tenma actually sees his father more often than Yuki does the same to his. It's not like they have a rocky relationship, either. He just doesn't really know how to answer it (or rather, how to give an answer that will satisfy whatever dilemma Tenma's facing at the moment).

But he gives it to him straight, anyways. Tenma knows what's acting and what's not. He'll sure get Yuki by the tail in no time if he so tries to lie his way out of it.

"...I don't really talk about my father."

He turns and sees the surprise in Tenma's eyes. But Yuki continues.

"The only time I've really seen him for longer than a week is when we moved. But usually, me and my sisters would never catch him around. For some reason," He pauses, looking out at the setting sun again. "My mom does. So we never really see what he looks like now except in pictures."

"Do you talk, though? Even in SNS?"

"Only to my sisters."

And Yuki stops because the rest of the story will only hurt more if he hears his own words come right out of his mouth. Tenma seems to get the memo, however.

"...oh no. Oh no. Yuki, I'm so sorry-"

"Don't be," Yuki shrugs. "I can't even feel badly for someone who barely exists in my life."

Okay, that sounded a bit more painful than what he had expected. But it's the truth. And although the truth strings, the world still has to go on. So does Yuki.

"...I see."

Silence again comes. This time, Yuki decides to speak up first.

"Normally, you wouldn't end up _this_ far from the dorms unless something's really bothering you."

"..."

"...oi. Talk to me."

Yuki sighs. "Come on now. I was already getting a little hope when you started speaking about your cats."

Tenma huffs and looks away. "It's not something I can talk to you about, anyways."

He thinks about his sudden question. Then he remembers the very thing that's been bothering him: an acting offer that he was so willing to take but is now refusing especially with what's going in Mankai right now. He has the gut feeling that it's more than the fact that the company has a huge problem on their hands. He _knows_. Tenma wouldn't normally talk about his family, to begin with. Tenma hates family talks.

It could be about the plot of the drama, which makes Yuki's eyes widen with that realisation. Of course. He remembers reading the summary in a magazine somewhere with Taichi right next to him. What was it about again...something about the central characters being father and son of a company?

Suddenly, everything makes sense.

"Let me guess," Yuki starts. "You hate the plot of the drama and it's been bothering you because while you wanted to act with that veteran actor...Hyuga or whatever...it's something that makes you uncomfortable, right?"

He sees Tenma jump at that. Bingo.

"It sounds more stupid when you say it!"

"That's because _you're_ the one thinking about this, to begin with."

This silences Tenma. Why did Yuki even want Tenma to talk? Nothing ever comes out of his mouth except for a whole load of stupidity. He should've just done all the talking if he wanted this to be over with.

(He doesn't, however. Yuki knows that he'll find more to this story if he stays. He just hopes that Tenma doesn't think of leaving soon. He wants to know _more_.)

Tenma looks down, rather embarrassed. Yuki sighs. "Almost eighteen years of living and it's only now that you're realising how stupid you can get."

"Well that's because-"

"You know family doesn't have to be _just_ about a father and mother right?"

Ginger jumps off from his lap, allowing Yuki to stand up. He looks down at Tenma, the mix of frustration, sadness, and concern showing itself in his own eyes.

"What about us?"

( _What about me?_ )

"Aren't _we_ family to you already?"

Tenma is about to say something before he immediately closes his mouth. Good. Tenma _deserves_ to know where his place is right now.

"If you're so worried because you're trying to think of your father in that veteran actor, then it won't work. Isn't it enough to just think about us instead?"

He pauses for a moment and inhales. Yuki didn't understand what family meant to him. Family to him was just the group of people who'd move with him to different places. He has sisters he loves, yes. But he can't exactly run to them, not when they have their own problems to deal with. His mother, although warm and kind, still has this thin veil of disdain about how he wishes to present himself. He doesn't even want to get started about his father nor relatives. And growing up, Yuki would only rely himself and the TV shows he'd watch to fill the void missing in his heart.

But then, he found Mankai. And the void that has been settling into his heart for years completely disappeared, although the scars that came with it are still there.

He can't stand the thought of Mankai disappearing this soon. Which is why he's more than willing to even go to the point of dying if it means protecting the place he loves, even if it will be against God-za.

He always thought that Tenma has those same feelings too. Much as he hates to admit, the stupid smile on his face whenever he's in the dorms is more vibrant, more radiant than the ones he'd flash on TV. To think that he still hasn't come to that conclusion is what makes Yuki think that he's _definitely_ more clueless about this than he's given credit for.

Just the thought of Yuki being better at this aspect makes him relieved. But that just means he has a responsibility.

And that responsibility is...

"So quit sulking about this and get up," He reaches out his hand to Tenma, the understanding in his eyes showing, growing the more he stares at Tenma's shocked and speechless expression. "Let's go back, to _our_ home now."

**Author's Note:**

> if you've made it to the end of this fic, congratulations!! do leave comments and kudoses if possible if i like them. (special thanks to the songs under the mikagura school suite series for keeping me awake all throughout writing this)
> 
> my twitter by the way is @hyugaluvr69!!


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